FOREIGN EXPERTS RUSH TO LANKA TO CONTAIN OIL LEAK FROM SHIP THAT BURNT, SANK

COLOMBO: Foreign experts have been deployed to help Sri Lanka contain a potential oil leak from a burnt-out container ship partially sunk off Colombo, the ship’s operator said on Friday.

Representatives from the International Tankers Owners Pollution Federation and Oil Spill Response were onshore monitoring the MV X-press Pearl, X-press Feeders said.

“They continue to coordinate with Marine Environment Protection Authority and the Sri Lankan navy on an established plan to deal with any possible spill of oil and other pollutants,” the company said. Its chief executive, Shmuel Yoskovitz, apologised to Sri Lanka for the disaster, which saw the ship burn for 13 days and inundated the island’s beaches with huge amounts of plastic pellets.

Sri Lanka’s harbour master Nirmal Silva said on Thursday that no oil had leaked so far.